Katana Blog
There are sword dealers, and there are custodians of tradition. The difference is not merely a matter of degree — it is a matter of commitment. For Tozando, the relationship with Bizen Osafune is the clearest expression of that commitment:...
How to Read an NBTHK Certificate — The International Collector's Complete Guide to Japanese Sword Authentication
A small folded paper accompanies every significant Japanese sword purchase. In one sense it is just a document — a few lines of Japanese text, a stamp, a number. In another sense it is everything: the difference between a sword...
The Five Great Schools — A Collector's Guide to the Gokaden of Japanese Swordsmithing
The world of Japanese sword collecting has its own geography — five regions of ancient Japan that gave rise to five distinct traditions of swordsmithing, each with its own aesthetic, its own steel character, and its own way of reading...
How to Legally Own a Japanese Sword — A Country-by-Country Guide for International Collectors
Owning an authentic Japanese sword outside Japan is legal in the vast majority of countries — but "legal" is rarely the whole story. Import duties, blade-length restrictions, transport rules, registration requirements, and the specific exemptions that apply to traditionally forged...